Ireland's EIA Conference 2026

This popular renewable energy oriented Environmental Impact Assessment conference focuses on knowledge sharing to improve Irish practice.

Ireland’s Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Conference returns on Thursday 5 March 2026. The event brings together professionals from across the EIA community with the aim of enhancing the effectiveness practice with a particular focus of renewable energy development. The event will be free to attend (registration required use the access code: EIA) thanks to the on-going partnership between Green Tech Skillnet, the Skillnet Offshore Wind Academy and Fothergill Training & Consulting Ltd.

This face to face event is being held on Thursday the 5th March at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Athlone.

The day includes plenary and breakout sessions to engage delegates in debate on effective EIA practice and the developing changes in relation to policy and legislation from both the national and European Union scale. Upwards of 120 delegates will hear presentations from leaders in the field learning about EIA itself and how it connects with other relevant tools such as assessment under the Habitats Directive and Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA).

Our 2026 for theme keeps it simple: EIA & Renewable Energy, although as with previous conference's the day's discussions will have relevance to how we can enhance practice across both renewables and other sectors.

The Registration Code to access the general release tickets is: EIA

The day's Agenda is:

Chair's Welcome

Opening Plenary - Drivers of change in EIA - the risks & opportunities

• Coffee & Networking

Morning Plenary - Statutory Body Perspectives

Breakout Sessions (Round 1) - delegates split across three workshops covering: EIA & HDA links; Reflections on what EIA can learnings from delivery of strategic infrastructure; and Recent lessons from Case Law

• Sit down lunch

Breakout Sessions (Round 2) - Delegates attend their second subject (see Round 1)

Breakout Sessions (Round 3) - Delegates attend their final subject (see Round 1)

• Break and Networking

Closing Plenary - Panel Discussion: How to ensure future EIA practice is efficient & effective

The day's speakers, workshop leads and panelists will include: James McDermott (EDF), Ross McNally (ERM), Tadhg O'Mahony (EPA), Ciara Kellett (ACP), Paul Scott (NPWS), Elaine Dromey (Dromey Eco Consulting), Robert Fennelly (Eirgrid), Des Cox (Vantage Planning), Jonathan Moore & colleagues (Fieldfisher), Brendan Slattery (McCann FitzGerald LLP), Aislinn O'Brien (SLR), Aoife O'Leary (EMPower) and Sean O'Callaghan (An Taisce).